http://www.d3sports.com RSS Feed for www.d3sports.com en-us D3sports.com RSS Software 1.1 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:00:00 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/08/22/coaching-changes-abound.html This month McMurry athletic director Bill Libby announced the promotion of John Byington to head coach of McMurry baseball, replacing Lee Driggers who resigned to fill the head coaching poisition at Wheaton (Ill.). Also this summer, Centenary announced that Scott Kushner will take the reigns as the new Head Baseball Coach and Jim Tetkoskie moved up from assistant to head coach at his alma mater, Penn State Harrisburg. Byington, who has been a part of the McMurry coaching staff for ten years, becomes just the second head coach at McMurry since the school brought back baseball in 1996 after a 47-year absence. Byington's promotion to McMurry's head coach marks his first head coaching job at a collegiate institution; however, Byington already has head coaching experience at the collegiate level as in the summer of 2007 he was head coach of the Athletes in Action Fire, which competed in the Alaska Baseball League. He guided the Fire to a 26-15 record and their only championship in the six-team league. "[McMurry] is a nice program to inherit," Byington said. "It was run so effectively under Coach Driggers and has a lot of respect in the baseball world. It's nice to have a good foundation to work with. My goal for the program is to grow on that foundation and become a national contender on a yearly basis." Kushner, has made the move to Centenary from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, where he was the Head Baseball Coach for the last two years. While at the Academy he handled all the baseball operations and over his two year tenure was able to improve the program's output in nearly every statistical category. Prior to his pair of seasons at Kings Point, Kushner was an Assistant/Interim Head Coach at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, from 2003-2006. Before his coaching career, Coach Kushner was a four year starting centerfielder for Swarthmore College (99-02). During his playing days he was chosen as a two-year captain, the Hustle Award Winner ('99), a Two-time Dick Hall Award Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:08:16 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/08/22/coaching-changes-abound.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/07/03/welcome-to-championship-day.html Johns Hopkins denied Trinity (Conn.) its attempt for the perfect season, but the Bantams (45-1) walked away with the championship anyway, ending the winner-take-all game with consecutive bases-loaded walks to win the 2008 Division III national championship 5-4 and the No. 1 spot in the D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25. It's the first Division III baseball championship for the NESCAC, a conference which prohibited its members from participating in the NCAA postseason until the 1990s. The Bantams are the third New England team to win the baseball title, joining Eastern Connecticut and Southern Maine. After a pair of singles and a stolen base gave Trinity runners on second and third, Chandler Barnard was intentionally walked to load the bases with Johns Hopkins leading 4-3. But reliever Matt Wiegand walked Matt Sullivan to tie the game and senior Guy Gogliettino, who fouled off six 2-2 pitches, worked a walk for the game-winning RBI. Gogliettino, who entered as a defensive replacement, was making his first plate appearance of the championship round. InterviewAfter the dust settled, Trinity (Conn.) coach Bill Decker spoke with D3sports.com's Gordon Mann about Trinity's signature season, what he told his team in between championship games and why he celebrated by sitting in the dugout by himself."You talk about grinding out an at-bat, being patient and staying within yourself," Trinity coach Bill Decker said, "it just happened. Every foul ball that Guy hit I kept on stepping back from the field. I just kind of took it all in at the end. It was just a thrill to watch these guys." Chez Angeloni, who threw a complete game for Johns Hopkins in the first game of the day, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the championship. The entire All-Tournament team and photo gallery. He was the only pitcher to record a win against Trinity in 2008. More coverage on our blog. Johns Hopkins took the perfect season away from Trinity (Conn.) with a 4-3 win in the first game. The Blue Jays (42-7) took the lead in the top of the ninth on a wild pitch-strikeout. Tim Kiely, the Bantams' ace, covered the plate but Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:25:23 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/07/03/welcome-to-championship-day.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/08/28/former-d-iii-coach-throws-out-first-pitch-in-olympics.html The College of New Jersey's former baseball coach, Rick Dell threw out the first pitch when the United States Olympic Baseball team opened action in Beijing, China. Dell, the Lions' baseball coach until July of 2007, is currently the director of baseball operations is Asia for Major League Baseball. He is based in Beijing, China and last summer was part of the first-ever China Baseball Academy in Wuxi, China, to train young baseball talent from across China, in conjunction with the China Baseball League. In the game, Korea scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to rally and defeat Team USA, 8-7. Team USA fought back with three runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a one-run, lead but the Koreans mounted their own comeback, highlighted by a sacrifice fly from Jongwook Lee to earn the victory. The U.S. Olympic Baseball Team would go Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:54:17 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/08/28/former-d-iii-coach-throws-out-first-pitch-in-olympics.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/08/22/driggers-leaves-mcmurry.html Wheaton (Ill.) athletic director Tony Ladd announced the hiring of Lee Driggers as baseball coach. Driggers replaces Bobby Elder, who resigned in June after seven years at the helm of the Thunder. Driggers, who was head coach at McMurry, assumes a Wheaton program that tallied the most wins in school history with a 23-14 record in 2008 and its first-ever appearance in the four-team CCIW tournament. "I've probably got 12 to 15 years left in my career," Driggers told the Abilene Reporter-News. "You do your normal evaluation of what you want to be doing in two years, three years down the road. I just felt like I was ready for a challenge if one presented itself." Ladd said: "Coach Driggers is an exceptional match for Wheaton College athletics. He is a builder of programs and facilities -- two areas that match Wheaton's needs." Ladd adds, "He fits well with the exceptional coaching Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:08:24 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/08/22/driggers-leaves-mcmurry.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/08/12/bates-occidental-name-coaches.html Two more coaches have joined the ranks on D-III head coaches this summer and one has the interim tag removed. Edwin Thompson and Jason Hawkins will coach at opposite ends of the country and Justin Dedman will remain at Denison. Thompson and Hawkins joins Lawrence's Jason Anderson as head coaches hired this summer. Thompson has been named head baseball coach at Bates, replacing Craig Vandersea who resigned last June. A Maine native, Thompson most recently served as associate head baseball coach and recruiting coordinator at the Maine–Farmington. "I'm thankful for the chance to coach at Bates and in my hometown area of Maine, and I'm very excited about the trajectory of this program," said Thompson. "We'll be a team that you'll want to come out and see play. We're going to do all the little things to win baseball games, and we're going to play with passion." Hawkins, a Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:39:41 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/08/12/bates-occidental-name-coaches.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/07/24/maryville-gets-ok-for-d-ii.html Maryville (Mo.) has received permission from the NCAA to reclassify from Division III to Division II, effective Sept. 1, 2008. The timeline to reclassify to NCAA Division II is a three-year process. After successful completion of the two-year exploratory period, Maryville must be invited to enter the provisional year and Maryville's readiness to become an active member will continue to be evaluated. At the conclusion of three-year process, Maryville would be invited to active Division II membership. The NCAA has tried to encourage schools to reclassify from Division III to Division II in order to ease the crowding in Division III. In recent years, Chestnut Hill, Lake Erie and Lincoln have done so. "This is an exciting move for our institution," said Nina Caldwell, vice president for student life and dean of students. "NCAA Division II places a strong emphasis on academics and developing the whole person which mirrors our philosophy at Maryville. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:41:57 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/07/24/maryville-gets-ok-for-d-ii.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/07/19/polcari-pitches-no-no-in-summer-league.html Salisbury's JD Polcari, pitching for the Nationals in the Clark-Griffith League, tossed a no-hitter against the McLean Raiders and came within two batters of a perfect game. Polcari led the Nationals to a 6-1 victory over the Raiders in a seven inning contest. The lone run allowed by Polcari was unearned, after a Polcari throwing error allowed Raiders left fielder Davis Hewitt to reach third. Hewitt then came around to score on an RBI groundout. "I was just trying to pitch like any other game," said Polcari. "I was trying to throw six solid innings, and keep my team in the game. But after two or three innings, [the innings] just started to roll along, and by the 5th or 6th inning, I knew I was going to complete the no-hitter or maybe a perfect game." Hewitt's walk in the 6th inning broke up the perfect game, after Polcari had retired the first Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:20:36 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/07/19/polcari-pitches-no-no-in-summer-league.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/07/28/bates-wheaton-look-for-new-coaches.html Bates, Lawrence and Wheaton (Ill.) will have new head coaches going into the 2009 season. Lawrence has already filled the position with Jason Anderson and Bates and Wheaton are in the process of searching for replacements. The Lawrence Vikings have their third head coach in three years. In 2008 Mike Barthelmess replaced Korey Krueger and in 2009 Jason Anderson will be at the reins of the Vikings' program. Anderson comes to Lawrence from Grinnell, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 2001. He will also serve as an assistant football coach. "I am very excited to be a part of the great athletic department at Lawrence University," Anderson said. "I care deeply about the ongoing success of both the baseball and football programs but look forward to the challenge of leading Vikings baseball to national recognition. I truly appreciate the opportunity that Lawrence University has given Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:28:48 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/07/28/bates-wheaton-look-for-new-coaches.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/07/02/d-iii-players-net-all-star-nods.html Four former D-III players played in the first set of Minor League Baseball All Star games in June. Representing teams in four different leagues were Joe Augustine, Archie Gilbert, Chris Hiesey, and Anthony Recker. Burlington's Joe Augustine (Kean) made the Midwest League (A) All Star game as a reliever with the Bees. Augustine pitched an effective inning, stranding two runners with one strikeout for the West squad. The West squad won the game 5-4 in 10 innings on the strength of Timothy Smith's 10th inning home run. Chris Heisey (Messiah) made the East squad in the Florida State League (A) as a left fielder. A mid game replacement, Heisey ended his night 0-2. Heisey represented the Sarasota Red Sox on the East squad. The West squad prevailed 9-3 at Space Coast Stadium in Viera. In a match up of two single A leagues, left fielder Archie Gilbert Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:31:10 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/07/02/d-iii-players-net-all-star-nods.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/06/25/shane-wolf-part-of-no-hit-combo.html The Tri-City ValleyCats in the minor league baseball's New York Penn league completed the first no-hitter in franchise history against the Oneonta Tigers in a 10-0 ValleyCats victory. Starter Shane Wolf, and relievers David Miller and Ashton Mowdy held the Tigers hitless while striking out seven. ValleyCats starter Shane Wolf, from Ithaca College, went three innings with three strikeouts. David Miller pitched four innings, notching the win. Ashton Mowdy capped off the no-hitter, pitching the final two hitless innings. Mowdy walked the based loaded in the bottom of the ninth, but settled down forcing designated hitter Wade Lamont to ground out to first sealing the no-hitter. "It was an outstanding effort tonight by three of our guys," said ValleyCats manager Pete Rancont. "Shane Wolf goes out there and pitches three great innings in his first professional start, but you never think about a no-hitter. After Miller's fourth inning the team started thinking Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:53:44 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/06/25/shane-wolf-part-of-no-hit-combo.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/06/26/regan-earns-win-in-neiba-all-star-game.html Trinity (Conn.) senior Mike Regan picked up the win in the 2008 New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association's College All-Star Game played Saturday, June 14 at historic Fenway Park. The College Division's 6-3 victory over the University Division was the second straight win and the fourth in the last six games for team representing the junior circuit. The College team out-hit the University squad 7-5, built a 6-1 lead and held on to the victory. Franklin Pierce senior RF Kevin Renaud hit a three-run home run into the Monster seats in the fifth inning that provided the difference in the College Division's victory. Southern Connecticut junior CF Karl Derbacher led off the game with an opposite-field home run into the Monster seats for a 1-0 College Division lead. They expanded the margin to 3-0 with two runs in the second on an RBI single by Southern Connecticut senior DH Anthony Fiorillo and Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:21:13 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/06/26/regan-earns-win-in-neiba-all-star-game.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/06/18/bates-coach-resigns.html Craig Vandersea has resigned as head baseball coach and assistant football coach at Bates, effective Aug. 31, the college announced Thursday. Vandersea will become assistant athletic director, head football coach and assistant baseball coach at St. Paul's School in Concord, N.H. "For more than a decade, Craig has provided stalwart leadership to the Bates baseball program while also contributing quality support and guidance as an assistant football coach," said Bates Director of Athletics Kevin McHugh. "He has been a model colleague as well as a valued friend to many in the athletic department, and his service is greatly appreciated. We wish Craig and his family all the best as he pursues his new opportunity." Vandersea joined the Bates athletic department as assistant football and baseball coach in 1998. He became the baseball team's 19th head coach for the 2000 season, and compiled a 92-175 record over nine years. The Bobcats went 14-21 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:06:11 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/06/18/bates-coach-resigns.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/06/20/2008-mlb-draft-preview.html It took until the second day of the 2008 MLB first-year player draft for the names of D-III players to be announced, but the names came. Twenty players who played baseball in the 2008 season in the NCAA's Division III were selected in the MLB draft, comparable to the 19 players selected last season. Ryan Kulik, Rowan was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth round, No. 245 overall, while Chapman's Kurt Yacko went to the Colorado Rockies minutes later, at No. 257. Both pitchers were highly touted prospects and finished the season on the D3baseball.com All-American team. It would be nine rounds later for the third selection as the Cincinnati Reds selected third baseman Frank Pfister of Emory with the 506th selection. Following the Pfister selection were Dominican right-hander Mike Eifel (by San Francisco, 627th overall) and St. Norbert shortstop Adam Frost (Detroit, 643) in the 21st Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:29:16 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/06/20/2008-mlb-draft-preview.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/06/05/letourneau-foursome-roadtrips-for-the-cure.html Four LeTourneau baseball players recently concluded what they will likely refer to as the trip of a lifetime. Aaron Bearden, Ethan Cravalho, Ed Hurta and Ryan VanZandt embarked on a 5,000-mile, 13-day road trip on May 4 from Longview with hopes to raise $5,000 for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure in Tyler, Texas. The group visited 13 major league baseball stadiums, one minor league park, the Baseball Hall of Fame plus a number of historic landmarks. It was featured on the Baseball Hall of Fame Web site and on mlb.com. They were asked to be a part of the nationally syndicated Big D and Bubba radio show throughout the trip. Overall, the group fell short of their goal of raising $5,000, but did raise a respectable $2,000. In addition to visiting ball parks in Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Dallas Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:51:47 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/06/05/letourneau-foursome-roadtrips-for-the-cure.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/28/all-tournament-team-2008.html Chez Angeloni, Johns Hopkins Angeloni was named the Most Outstanding Player of the championship. Pos.: Pitcher Bats: Right Throws: Right Ht: 6-2 Wt: 190 Year: Junior Hometown: Jenkintown, Pa. Angeloni beat the No. 1 team in the country and handed Trinity (Conn.) its only loss of the season en route to going 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA. He allowed 19 hits in 18 innings and struck out 14 while walking just one. The junior finished 9-0 on the season with a 4.32 ERA, striking out 53 and walking 14 in 73 innings. Next: Chandler Barnard, Trinity Wed, 28 May 2008 09:48:58 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/28/all-tournament-team-2008.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/27/blue-jays-force-second-game-.html Johns Hopkins handed Trinity (Conn.) its first loss of the season and now it is winner-take-all in order to bring home the Walnut and Bronze. The Blue Jays (42-7) took the lead in the top of the ninth on a wild pitch-strikeout. Tim Kiely, the Bantams' ace, covered the plate but was late getting the tag down and Johns Hopkins took a 4-3 lead. The Blue Jays would get a 1-2-3 inning to force the first 15th game in four years. Trinity got their first run in the first inning. Ryan Piacentini singled up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jonas Fester's error put runners on the corner and Kent Graham's double to left field plated Piacentini. Johns Hopkins would tie the game in the second. Todd Emr singled to shortstop and was erased on a Tony Margve fielder's choice. Margve moved to second when Tue, 27 May 2008 15:10:38 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/27/blue-jays-force-second-game-.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/27/bantam-monium.html Johns Hopkins denied Trinity (Conn.) its attempt for the perfect season, but the Bantams (45-1) walked away with the championship anyway, ending the winner-take-all game with consecutive bases-loaded walks to win the 2008 Division III national championship 5-4. "We met our final goal," said Trinity coach Bill Decker. "I just want to tip my hat to Johns Hopkins. We had two great ball games." "We battled all day," said Johns Hopkins coach Bob Babb. "We lost to a very good team but it was a disappointing way to lose." After a pair of singles and a stolen base gave Trinity runners on second and third, Chandler Barnard was intentionally walked to load the bases with Johns Hopkins leading 3-2. "[Barnard] had given us trouble," said Babb. "He was a clutch player with the bat. I did not want him to beat us. I thought we had a chance to get the next guy" But reliever Tue, 27 May 2008 21:38:39 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/27/bantam-monium.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/26/.html Some games are decided by inches, some by feet. The big play in Trinity's 8-5 win was a ball that skipped over the fence by a couple of feet. In the eighth inning, Tony Margve hit a ball to the deepest part of the park and it skipped over the wall keeping Jon Solomon from scoring and depriving Margve of a game tying triple. "If that stays in the park you never know what happens," said Trinity Head Coach Bill Decker. Instead of a tie ball game Johns Hopkins finishes the inning a run down and never catches the Bantams. With their victory tonight, Trinity will advance to the championship game on Tuesday and wait the winner of the elimination games on Monday. If they win, they will be the first D-III baseball team to finish the season undefeated. Johns Hopkins will play the winner Mon, 26 May 2008 00:21:44 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/26/.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/29/elimination-day.html Jonas Fester singled up the middle with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give Johns Hopkins a 12-11 victory against UW-Whitewater on Monday afternoon. Championship: Scoreboard | Live video (requires free registration) | Live stats The Blue Jays survived a 17-hit attack from the Warhawks and pounded out 21 of their own, the biggest of which may have been a bunt down the third-base line in the ninth inning that refused to roll foul. Monday's scores and Tuesday's schedule. Starting at noon ET on Tuesday, Johns Hopkins will try to do what no team has done the entire Division III baseball season: beat Trinity (Conn.). And to win the Walnut and Bronze, they'll have to beat them twice. It will be the first time either Johns Hopkins or Trinity has played for the title. In the early game, it was Whitewater advancing to play Johns Hopkins after the Warhawks held Thu, 29 May 2008 00:25:52 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/29/elimination-day.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/27/who-knocked-the-dogs-out-whitewater.html UW-Whitewater held off the Adrian Bulldogs 13-11 in an elimination game at the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Down by three runs with two men on in the ninth inning, Alex Cowart's drive to right field was caught at the fence. "We were one swing away from being 13-13," said Head Coach Craig Rainey. "Cowart got a lot of that ball and unfortunately he hit it to the 405' part of the ball yard." UW Whitewater (42-9) advances to play Johns Hopkins (40-7) in another elimination game today. Adrian, making its first appearance in the finals, finished with a 36-13 record. Jeff Donovan and Greg Harder paced the Whitewater attack by both going 3-for-4. Donovan drove in four runs and Harder had three. Bobby Rickstad went 4-for-4 with four RBIs for Adrian. Adrian started the scoring in the first. With two outs, Tue, 27 May 2008 14:14:41 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/27/who-knocked-the-dogs-out-whitewater.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/26/that-was-an-epic-battle.html A total of 38 hits between Johns Hopkins and UW-Whitewater thrilled the fans in attendance at Monday's NCAA Division III Championship second game. Jonas Fester's single down the middle gave the Blue Jays a 12-11 victory in the game that see-sawed from the start. With the score knotted at 11-11, Jonas Fester's bases loaded single in the bottom of the ninth brought home Chris Huisman for the winning run, as Johns Hopkins survived five lead changes. "It was so much in so little time," said UW-Whitewater Head Coach John Vodenlich. Johns Hopkins grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Fester led off with a single, moved to second on a ground out and then scored on Todd Emr's single. UW-Whitewater tied it in the top of the second when Kevin Zalnis blasted a lead-off homer. The Blue Jays took the lead back in the bottom of the third Mon, 26 May 2008 21:38:00 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/26/that-was-an-epic-battle.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/27/and-then-there-were-six.html James Wood had a two-run single in the first and a homer in the third to lead Trinity (Conn.) to its 44th consecutive win, beating Johns Hopkins 8-5 in the winners bracket final on Sunday night. The Bantams' reward? They get Memorial Day off, while UW-Whitewater, Adrian and Johns Hopkins battle through the losers bracket for the right to challenge Trinity for the title on Tuesday. Sunday's scoreboard and Monday's schedule. Monday's games include live video, so click to the Scoreboard for the links. Two more teams joined Kean and Cortland State on the road home. Linfield and Chapman, the No. 1 team in the country, are the latest teams to be eliminated. Linfield lost to Adrian 2-1 and Chapman lost to UW-Whitewater 7-4 in Sunday's elimination games. First baseman Jeff Donovan clubbed a three-run home for Whitewater to give the Warhawks (41-9) a 4-1 lead in the bottom of Tue, 27 May 2008 11:57:22 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/27/and-then-there-were-six.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/25/trinty-streak-is-at-44.html Trinity (Conn) used a four run fourth to pressure Linfield and Jeremiah Bayer kept the Wildcats off balance as Trinity moved one game closer to the national championship game. They will need to defeat Johns Hopkins to get a rest day on Monday and a spot in the national championship game. Linfield will meet Adrian in an elimination game. The scoring started in the Trinity first. Jack Abbott reached on a fielding error by Shannon Chung. Ryan Piacentini then singled to left center. Sean Killeen the reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Abbott. Kent Graham followed with a home run to score Killeen. After a walk to Thomas DiBenedetto, Chandler Barnard singled to right field to score DiBenedetto. Linfield cut the lead in half in the fourth. Drew Van Cleave bunted to third base and moved to second on Rhett Fenton infield single. Sun, 25 May 2008 00:56:04 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/25/trinty-streak-is-at-44.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/25/warhawks-survive.html First baseman Jeff Donovan clubbed a three-run home for Whitewater to give the Warhawks a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth and Joe Munn's home run broke the back of Chapman in the eighth as UW-Whitewater defeated Chapman 7-4. UW-Whitewater (41-9) will play the Linfield-Adrian winner on Monday. Chapman (40-5) ends their season. Kyle Redding ends his career with Chapman as the nineteenth player to appear in four championships. "[Four years ago] I was a little nervous and every year you get more comfortable," said Redding. "You try to help the younger guys in what to expect and what to anticipate. It is fun coming back here." In the UW-Whitewater second, Munn was hit by the pitcher and advanced to second on a Billy Johnson single. Greg Harder would drive in Munn when he singled to center field. Chapman would get the run Sun, 25 May 2008 17:08:30 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/25/warhawks-survive.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/25/dogs-top-cats.html Adrian starter went from extra inning hero to pitching star in a single day. Fresh off his big hit in the twelfth inning yesterday, Nick Sarkissian scattered 12 hits to lead the Adrian Buldogs to a 3-2 victory over the Linfield Wildcats. "We got a great pitching performance from Nick," said Adrian Head Coach Craig Rainey. "He kept us in [the game]." Nick Sarkissian added on his role in the last two game, "I like pitching since I am in control of the game, but I like playing the field since it is a lot of fun to get the big hit." Linfield got the scoring started with a single by David Bachofner whe advanced to third on Nick Sarkissian's error. Stew Davis would singled to center field, driving in Bachofner. Adrian answered right away. Nate Sarkissian reached on a throwing error by Bachofner Sun, 25 May 2008 20:09:43 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/25/dogs-top-cats.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/25/occidental-coach-steps-down.html Following a successful three year career as head baseball coach during a four year stint at Occidental, Elliott Strankman has resigned from his position to focus on other opportunities in baseball beginning with his second season in the Northwoods League as the Field Manager of the Green Bay Bullfrogs. "We are grateful to Elliott for the role he played in helping to rebuild the baseball program at Occidental and we wish him the best in his future endeavors," said athletic director Jaime Hoffman. A national search for Strankman's successor will begin immediately. "I look forward to filling the position with someone who can lead Oxy baseball to the next level." Under Strankman's leadership, the Tigers improved from just six wins in 2005, when he served as an assistant, to a pair of 15 win seasons in 2006 and 2007 culminating with 17 victories in 2008. The 17 wins this spring were more Sun, 25 May 2008 23:38:05 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/25/occidental-coach-steps-down.html http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/24/dorn-tames-warhawks-offense.html Linfield's Garrett Dorn struck out nine UW-Whitewater batters and held the home-run happy Warhawks to three hits during a come-from-behind 5-1 opening round victory. Making their first appearance in the NCAA Finals, the eighth-ranked Wildcats calmly dissected the more-experienced Warhawks, a team playing in its third championship in five seasons. Linfield (35-11) advances to play the winner of tonight's Cortland State-Trinity matchup. UW-Whitewater (39-9) plays an elimination game against Cortland State or Trinity. Dorn, a sophomore righthander, handcuffed the Warhawks for just one run and no walks to collect his ninth win of the season against two losses. Jordan Stine tallied UWW's only run, a solo homer in the second inning that staked the home-state Warhawks to a 1-0 advantage. "[Dorn] pitched a good game", said UW-Whitewater head coach john Vodenlich. "He threw his pitches for strikes and changed speeds well. When you do that your going to tough." Linfield evened the Sat, 24 May 2008 01:00:50 EDT http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2008/05/24/dorn-tames-warhawks-offense.html